I know a car mechanic who understood job security. We stood and looked out his front window at the nearby street and he uttered, “everyone one of those cars is broken. No matter what it looks like.”
I think about that every time I hear about a friend who is broken. You see, no matter what it looks like, we are all hurting. A lot. We put on nice strong church faces, but I expect that every person you know has grieved this week.
If you want some poor science, but true understanding, just consider yourself. You smile at the grocery store while inside you are thinking about your recent doctor visit, where he said the “C” word. You talk on the phone to a cousin and laugh, but on the back burner of your brain you are remembering the threat of a layoff. You sit at the table with your family, chewing and swallowing, but your eyes are searching your children’s in fear… or worry… or with terrible knowledge.
Every one of us is broken.
And those words are far too small and glib.
I am actually not the most sensitive of humans. But even so, this last week I have listened to grievous stories from three close friends that blurred my vision and took away my appetite. And those three stories reminded me of a few more.
We are all broken.
We have been trained by media and fear of pain to assume that people with HUGE problems are off there somewhere… behind the distant clouds or international borders. We believe the lie that we are all doing ok.
But we all are broken.
Our optimistic dreams are often forgotten instead of fulfilled. Our checkbooks are empty. Our backs ache. Our jobs aren’t changing the world. Our evenings are lonely. Our clocks and calendars are too fast.
… broken…
We hide it. We deny it. We keep it inside. We have stiff upper lips. We don’t admit that our pillows are stained with bitter tears. And even if on rare occasions we express our own dark-shadowed sorrows, we seem alone in our fears, our tears, and our darkness. We are sad islands.
My goal today is not to offer an answer to our sorrows. Although there is a great answer. But for now, it is my hope that we consider two things.
First, remember that every face that faces your face has sorrow, too. Ease up on each other. Just like you, the people all around you are losing sleep.
And second, stop hiding. Tell your spouse. Take the time to tell your friends, and to listen. The light of open revelation always makes the shadows flee. Stop hiding.
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Wednesday 6:00 Jubiwednesday! Come ‘friend’ with us.
Saturday 7:00 Men’s Breakfast/Bible Study at Cracker Barrell
July 22 Jeremy Casella: The Living Room Show
Hobby in the Lobby will just be Hobbying for the summer… not booking. June 21, July 19, Aug 16. Book Club will return Sept 20.
Towards the end of summer we would like to host a Sunnydale Vacation Bible School! But we need workers… are you willing and able to help out?